"You Write Like a Girl!" Excerpt #4

Bartholomew

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Exactly one week after her first visit, Stephanie returned to Kimberly's house. As before, Kimberly was rocking on her porch, humming and singing, and she stopped rocking as Stephanie began her ascent up the porch stairs. Stephanie sat on the small bench opposite Kimberly and poured herself a tumbler of water.

"I hope the desk arrived safely, Stephanie."

"Yes, Mother, it did. Thank you." She took a drink of water and squirmed nervously on the edge of the bench, avoiding eye contact. For a moment the only sound was the squeak of Kimberly's chair.

"Stephanie, do you know about the tradition of the relic box?"

"Relic box? No, ma'am, I have not heard of it."

"Every thirty years the people of Cardiff get together for a celebration. We unearth a box of relics buried thirty years before by an earlier generation. Later, we place items in a new box and bury it for the next generation to open in thirty years. The box from seventeen thirty-six is buried beneath the large boulder at the edge of the village green and will be opened in seventeen seventy-six. It is a wonderful tradition. As town historian, it will be your responsibility to ensure that the relics are properly distributed when the box is opened and to make a list of all items going into the new box. It is a very important task."

"I understand, Mother."

Stephanie took a drink of water and sat silently as Kimberly rocked.

“Over the past fifty years, Stephanie, I have developed a special power I call The Gift. It has allowed me to see the past in a most wonderful way. In time, you, too, will develop The Gift to help you write the town history.”

Stephanie gave Kimberly a blank look and nervously took another drink of water.

"Perhaps a demonstration would help," Kimberly continued. "Come sit down next to me." She pointed to a small, wooden chair next to her rocker. Stephanie got up from the bench and sat next to her.

"I want you to take my hand, close your eyes and think of a pleasant memory, a memory so vivid that you can recall every detail as if it happened this morning. Do you have such a memory?"

Stephanie thought for a moment. "Yes, mother."

"Describe it to me, please."

"When I was sixteen, my brother taught me how to ride a horse. We had to make sure nobody was looking because grandmother thought it was unladylike. She would never allow such a thing and would punish me if she found out. One weekend, my parents and my grandmother went to Plymouth after a relative passed away. My brother told me I could take the horse anywhere I wanted, so I went for a long ride to the lake. It was a most glorious feeling."

"Now I want you to focus on that memory and tell me what you see and what you feel. Because I have The Gift, I will be able to see it with you."

Kimberly closed her eyes tight. "It is a beautiful, summer day. I see the open trail ahead of me and I feel the warm wind in my face. The horse's head is bobbing in front of me as we ride along. The horse, his name is King."

"There is barn on the farm directly ahead of you, Stephanie. What color is it?"

Stephanie paused to search her memory. "A barn? I do not see a barn. I can only see the trail."

"Very well. Now, I am going to show you how to view your memory in a different way. Are you ready?"

"I think so."

With a thought, Kimberly changed Stephanie's perspective from riding on the horse to a place thirty feet above the trail. Stephanie's heart raced and she gasped at the sudden change in vantage point, nearly breaking contact. Kimberly prepared herself for it and held tight.

"Hhh-how are you doing this? I do not understand?"

"Keep focusing on the memory, Stephanie. Accept that it is happening."

Stephanie took short, shallow breaths as she tried to her best to concentrate. She could now see herself riding side-saddle along the trail below. She could see the crystal blue lake further up the trail. Slowly, she relaxed into the moment.

"What color is the barn, Stephanie?"

"I still can not see it, Mother."

"Go to the barn, Stephanie. Focus on what you want to see in the memory and you will see it."

Stephanie took a deep breath, let it out and concentrated on seeing past the trees and visualizing the barn. At last, she broke through.

"What color is the barn, Stephanie?"

"Red! It is a big, beautiful, red barn, Mother. With two horses standing directly in front of it."

"Very good. You moved beyond the limits of your own memory. You will need that skill for the task ahead of you."
 

AnnieColleen

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Guessing female, but I really have no idea.
 

Writer2011

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My guess would have to be female... but then again I've got a fifty-fifty chance of being right.
 

Vandal

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Full Disclosure

I wrote this one. 100% male.

One of the characters (Kimberly) was called Mother as a title, but was not the mother of the other character (Stephanie), so that may have been confusing.

Great exercise, Bartholomew!